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Values and Distinctives

Foundation, Objective, and Priorities of Ministry

1. The foundation of this Church is the Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 3:11). The code of guidance in all its affairs will be the Word of God. This Church does here affirm its faith that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of Almighty God (Mark 13:31).

2. The objective of this Church shall be to worship God according to the teaching of His Word, to practice the precepts and examples of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, as set forth in the New Testament, to sustain its ordinances and doctrines and to preach and propagate among all peoples the Gospel of Salvation which is by Personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

3. The priorities of ministry of this church flow from the vision of God’s glory revealed in Jesus Christ. (Phil 2:9-11). We exist to savor this vision in worship (John 4:23), strengthen the vision in nurture and education (I Corinthians 14:26; II Peter 3:18), and spread the vision in evangelism, missions, and loving deeds (I Peter 2:9, 3:15, Matthew 28:18-20; 5:15).

 

Reformed Baptist Distinctives

The foundation, objective, and priorities of ministry at Bristol are the natural result of our being a Reformed Baptist Church. That is not a phrase that we hear often. So, what does it mean to be a Reformed Baptist Church?

 

The Five Solas

The essence of the Protestant Reformation centered around five "alone's." We believe these are the foundation from which all of biblical doctrine and practice flow.

  • Sola Scriptura- God's Word alone, not the doctrines and traditions of men. is our ultimate authority.
  • Solus Christus- Christ is the sole hope of salvation for mankind.
  • Sola Gratia- The salvation offered to us through Christ is on the basis of God's grace alone and not the result our works.
  • Sola Fide- Our works do not justify us before God. God declares us righteous through faith alone.
  • Soli Deo Gloria- God alone is to be glorified for His works in creation, history, and redemption.

 

The Doctrines of Grace

From the Five Solas arose the Doctrines of Grace. These five points summarize the Church's historic teaching on the nature of man and God's gracious work of redemption.

  • Total Depravity- Because of Adam's fall, mankind is now born spiritually dead and totally affected by sin.
  • Unconditional Election- God's election unto salvation is not based on any foreseen faith or works.
  • Particular Redemption- Christ's death upon the cross, though sufficient for all mankind, specifically purchased the redemption of His elect.
  • Effectual Calling- God will effectively call and regenerate all those whom Christ purchased.
  • Preservation of the Saints- Those redeemed by Christ and called by God will persevere in their faith until the end through the work of the Holy Spirit abiding in them.

 

We Are Confessional

Bristol Baptist Church holds to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. This does not contradict our belief of Sola Scriptura, rather, we hold to this confession as a comprehensive summary of the Bible's teaching.

 

We Are Covenantal

We believe the Bible is one continuous story of God's redemptive purposes in history to bring together one Body, in Christ, from every tribe, nation, and tongue. 

 

The Sufficiency of Scripture

We not only believe that Scripture is inspired and inerrant, but we believe that it is sufficient to instruct us on all matters of faith and practice. We seek to organize our Church and structure our worship accordingly.

  • Biblical Leadership- Scripture teaches a plurality of elders and deacons. The elders are responsible for the spiritual growth and development of the congregation, while the deacons are responsible for the physical needs and ministries of the church.
  • Biblical Worship- We believe that God has given us instructions on how He is to be worshiped. We understand that every song, sermon, and prayer is to focus our attention and affection on God alone. We strive to have songs that are richly theological and preaching that is expositional.
  • Biblical Membership- We do not believe that church is somewhere you should be able to go and hide. Scripture teaches that we are to be a community of believers that encourage and support each other, as well as hold each other accountable to live according to the faith we profess.
  • Biblical Worldview- We believe that our faith affects every area of life. Our worship and obedience to God is not confined to our time together at church, but also extends over our homes, our work, and over all other endeavors. God also commands us to actively go into all the world, proclaiming the gospel of Christ, and baptizing all nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.